Born into an impoverished environment in Mexico, Anthony Quinn's family
moved to East L.A. in search of work and a better quality of life. Quinn
spent his boyhood years helping support his family by doing odd jobs such
as: a butcher, boxer, street corner preacher, and a slaughterhouse worker.
It was during those long hours of back-breaking work that he dreamed of
becoming Napolean, Michelangelo, Shakespeare, Martin Luther, and Jack
Dempsey all rolled into one.
Living only five miles from Hollywood, the six-foot Quinn used to draw
portraits of stars, and would then send them to the star in the hopes
of making a few dollars.
Anthony Quinn's next artistic venture and success came at age eleven when
he won a California state-wide sculpture competition for his entry of
Abraham Lincoln. A few years later, Anthony was granted a scholarship
to study architecture with Frank Lloyd Wright. They developed a close
personal relationship, linked by the common desire to leave their mark
on society. In fact, it was Wright who paid for the young Quinn to have
surgery to correct a speech impediment. It was also Wright who suggested
that Quinn take acting lessons in order to help re-train his tongue. Wright
recalled years later, having seen the young Quinn perform on stage, that
he knew Anthony would never return to architecture again.

Though he began acting in the mid-30s playing mostly bad guys and ethnic
stereotypes, he rose above what could have been a lifetime of minor supporting
roles to become one of Hollywood's most beloved stars.

By 1947, he was a veteran of over fifty films, but he was still not a
major star. So he returned to the theatre, where for three years he found
success on Broadway, in such roles as Stanley Kowalski in 'A Streetcar
Named Desire'.

Anthony Quinn probably holds the record for playing a wider variety of
ethnic characters during his career than any other actor. With a Mexican
and Irish background (thus his last name, from his half-Irish father),
he played Greeks, Italians, Native Americans, Filipinos, etc., in addition
to Mexicans.

He won Best Supporting Actor Oscars for Viva Zapata! (1952) and Lust
for Life (1956), and made over 150 films that we know of. He is rumored
to have appeared in many more, in both Hollywood and in Italy, where he
was popular after starring in Fellini's La Strada (1954). He also appeared
on Broadway, including the role of Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named
Desire.

Perhaps his most famous role was that of Alexis Zorbas in Zorba the Greek
(1964), for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. That
was the odd year in which Rex Harrison won for My Fair Lady, beating out
not only Quinn, but Peter O'Toole and Richard Burton (Beckett) and Peter
Sellers (Dr. Strangelove), four of the greatest performances in cinema
history.

Anthony Quinn died on June 3, 2001, of respiratory failure, at the age
of 86, bringing to a close one of the most fascinating careers in motion
picture history.

Quinn has fathered thirteen children, and has been married 3 times. He
was last married to Kathy Benvin.

Enjoy
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